Battle of Chenzhen

The Battle of Chenzhen occurred in the harvest season of 190 AD when Cao Cao's army defeated a much smaller Han army sent by Dong Zhuo to apprehend him after Dong Zhuo's flight from the capital of Luoyang. The battle secured Cao Cao's control over the town (zhen) of Chen Commandery, and Cao Cao would expand his territory at the expense of the Han.

Background
In 184, the Yellow Turban Rebellion devastated Han China, with the Ten Eunuchs seizing control of the imperial court at Luoyang during the ensuing chaos. In 189, the brutal general Dong Zhuo, the proud aristocrat Yuan Shao, and the heroic commander Cao Cao massacred the Ten Eunuchs, but it was Dong Zhuo who seized power and attempted to enforce his autocracy across the land. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao formed a coalition against Dong Zhuo, defeating him at the Battle of Hu Lao Gate in 190, but failing to destroy him. Instead, Dong Zhuo burned the capital of Luoyang and fled to Chang'an with the Emperor, and the coalition against Dong Zhuo disintegrated due to its failure.

Although Cao Cao returned to his home of Chen Commandery, there was little time to waste. The tyrant Dong Zhuo sent Han forces to apprehend Cao Cao, and Cao Cao had to defeat them before looking to the future.

Battle
Cao Cao's large army of nearly 800 troops attacked Yuan Huan's army of around 250 Han troops in the rural land to the south of the town of Chen, with Xiahou Dun serving as his field commander. Cao Cao moved his army into battle positions, having his infantry divide into halves to attack each of the two Han infantry units. Meanwhile, his cavalry outflanked the Han forces and waited for the perfect time to strike. At the start of the battle, Yuan Huan unwisely challenged Xiahou Dun to a duel, and Xiahou Dun slew him in one-on-one combat. The demoralized Han army began to falter after being attacked by superior numbers, and Cao Cao's cavalry struck them from the rear, massacring them. The 39 surviving Han soldiers were captured and recruited into Cao Cao's army, completely annihilating Dong Zhuo's force.